Door or window with fluid-operated seal

ABSTRACT

A door or window arrangement whose frame encloses a pump. The door or window panel is equipped with a movable handle for manually opening and closing the opening in the frame by means of the panel. In the closed position of the panel, a pliable tube communicating with the pump is located between the panel and the frame, seals the frame opening, and locks the panel in place when the handle is moved on the panel. Coupling elements on the frame and panel are engaged in the closed position, the movement of the handle is transmitted to the coupling, and from the coupling to the pump which inflates the tube.

[111 3,769,750 Nov. 6, 1973 United States Patent 1 Mayer et al. I

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS m ws m T A I m RP 0 RD mm nu M 547,0728/1942 Great Britain........................ 49/477 [75] Inventors:Siegfried Mayer, Wolbecl ;Bernhard Janke; Werner Frach, both ofBayreuth, all of Germany Primary Examiner-Mervin Stein AssistantExaminer-Philip C. Kannan Att0rneyKurt Kelman [73] Assignee:

Aug. Winkhaus, Telgte/Westfalen, Germany [57] ABSTRACT A door or windowarrangement whose frame encloses a-pump. The door or window panel isequipped with a movable handle for manually opening and closing the [22]Filed: Nov. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 305,350

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I l0/l944Laddon.............................

pling elements on the frame and panel are engaged in the closedposition, the movement of the handle is 49 7 X transmitted to thecoupling, and from the coupling to the pump which inflates the tube.

XX 77 77 44 l/ 99 44 2,527,084 10/1950 Smith........

2,848,782 8/1958 Gillison............... 3,352,446 11/1967 Anderson etal. 49 477 x Clams, 3 "'8 Figures PAIENTED NOV 6 I975 SHEET 2 BF 2 Fig.2

Fig.3

DOOR R WINDOW WITH FLUID-OPERATED SEAL This invention relates to doorsand windows, and particularly to a fluid-operated seal which isinterposed between the frame and the closure element of a door or windowand may be inflated by means of a pumped fluid. I a

In its more specific aspects, this invention is concerned with animprovement in the door or window arrangement disclosed in the commonlyowned, published German Pat. application No. 2,044,686. The

I published application discloses a window whose frame carries adiaphragm pump. An elastomeric tube extends about the opening in theframe and is connected with the pump. An operating arm 'is mounted onthe frame and permits liquid to be driven by the pump into the tube forsealing the gap between the window frame and a casement, andthe liquidto be withdrawn into the pump to facilitate opening of the window. I

In closing the window of the German application, the easement is movedinto the closed position and the arm of the pump is then operated toinflate the sealing tube. It isadvisable to hold the easement in itsclosed position while operating the pump in order to prevent thecasement from being displaced by the expanding tube and to preventmisalignment of the frame and casement. The operation thus may requiretwo hands. It is a primary object of the instant invention to improvethe known window arrangement, which is equally applicable to a door, sothat it can be operated by one hand in a continuous movement even ifwind pressure or the like tends to move the casement or door away fromthe closed position.

With this object and others in view, as will hereinafter becomeapparent, the invention provides a door or window arrangement in whichthe pump is mounted in or on the frame in the known manner. The closuredevice of the arrangement, such as the easement or a window or panel ofa door, is secured to the frame for movement toward and away from aclosed position in which it obstructs the opening in the frame. Itcarries a manually operated handle by means of which the closure devicemay be moved. The handle also is movable relative to the closure devicebetween at least two positionsl A tubuIarQpIiabIe sealing member isinterposed between the closure-device and the frame and communica'teswith the pump. Coupling elements on the frame and the closure deviceengage each other in the closed.

position of the latter. A motion transmitting linkage connects thecoupling element on the closure device to the handle, and an analogouslinkage connects the coupling element on the frame to the pump so that afluid, more specifically a practically non-compressible liquid, expandsthe sealing tube when the handle is moved on the closed closure device.

Other features of this invention and many of the attendant advantageswill readily become apparent as the invention becomes better understoodby reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment whenconsidered in connection with the appended drawing in which: a

FIG. '1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an open casement windowequipped with a hydraulic sealing device of the invention; I FIG. 2illustrates the window of FIG. 1 in the closed condition in. section onthe line IIII and on a larger scale than in FIG. 1; and

is conventional. As is not novel in itself, the sash l2 essentiallyconsists of two wooden upright members 23 andtwo wooden horizontalmembers 23a bounding an opening permanently sealed by two parallel glasspanes 12a, 12b held apart by spacers 12c, and fastened by putty'l2d, sothat the wooden and glass elements of the sash l2 jointly constitute aclosure for the opening in the frame 11.

In the illustrated upright member 13 of the frame 1 1, there is provideda vertically elongated recess l4 in which a diaphragm pump 15 ismounted. The pump. is of the general type disclosed in I-Iopkins U.S.Pat. No. 3,121,372. As shown in more detail in the patent, the pumpessentially consists of a hollow e'lastomeric body capable of beingexpanded and compressed so that a liquid in the body is expelled ordrawn back. The illustrated pump is elongated at right angles to theplane of FIG. 2, as is seen in FIG. 1, and is actuated by cooperating,wedge-shaped cams, obscured inthe drawing by the pump housing, of whichone is attached toa bracket 16. The bracket projects through a slot-inthe pump housing which permits the bracket to move longitudinally in theframe member 13. The bracket 16 carries a coupling fork 17 whichprojects from an upright face 18 of the frame member 13.

The face 18 is partly covered by a molding 22 of approximately J-shapedcross section through which the bracket 16 passes. The narrower flange19 of the molding 22 extends in a plane parallel to that of the face 18and provides an abutment for an elastomeric sealing the bight' of themolding 22 and also extends about theentire window opening. The tube 21is adhe'sively fastened to the molding 22 in a manner not explicitlyillustrated.

'The sole vertical member 23 of the sash 12 which is seen in the drawingfixedly carries the base 24d of a pivotally mounted handle 24. Thehandleis elongated horizontally in the illustrated position, and may be turnedon its base until it extends vertically downward, as indicated by anarrow in FIG. 1. The shaft 24a of the handle 24 carries a pinion. 24bwhich meshes with a rack on a flat, vertical drive rod :26, the pinionbeing received in a cavity of the sash member 23, and the drive rod 26in a groove extending over much of the sash face =30which is paralleland opposite to the face 18 in the 12 is swung into its closed position,the roller 25 enters the gap between the tines of the horizontally openfork l7, and the cooperating roller and fork couple the drive rod 26 tothe bracket 16. When motion is transmitted from the handle 24 to theroller 25 by the shaft 24a, pinion 24b and drive rod 26, such motion isfurther transmitted by the bracket 16 to the pump 15. When the handle 24is swung downward from the illustrated horizontal position while thewindow sash 12 is held in its closed position by means of the handle,the pump forces liquid through a heavy-walled rubber hose 15a into thetube 21 so as to expand the tube until it seals and locks the sash tothe frame 11. The sealing strip 20 is received between the tube 21 andthe flange 19 of the molding 22 and held in pressure contact with theflange by the expanded tube 21.

The rod 26 has a lower or locking end 29 which is retracted within thegroove of the sash member 23 when the handle 24 is horizontal, as shownin fully drawn lines in FIG. 1. When the window is closed, and thehandle 24 is swung downward, the locking end 29 projects from the bottomof the sash, as indicated in broken lines, and passes through anapertured plate 29a into a recess or receptacle in the bottom member ofthe frame 11, thereby further locking the sash 12 to the frame 11 in theclosed position. 7

When the handle 24 is returned to the illustrated position, thenon-illustrated cams of the pump 15 permit the diaphragm of the latterto be brought back to its starting position by return springs, andliquid is returned to the pump 15 by the pressure of the ambient air onthe tube 21. 7

While the invention has been described with specific reference to acasement window, it is applicable without changes or with minor changesobvious to one skilled in the art to windows having reciprocatingsashes, to windows having sashes swinging about a horizontal axis, towindows equipped with fittings that'per-' mit a casement to be swungalternatively about a vertical or a horizontal axis, and to swinging orsliding doors. The drive rod 26 whose toothed main portion transmitsmovement from the handle 24 to the coupling roller 25, and alsotransmits movement to the locking end portion 29, may be employed foractuating other fittings directly or indirectly, as is known in itself,for example, in windows capable of-alternating swinging movement abouttwo axes perpendicular to each other. The apparatus illustrated in thedrawing actually may be a glass door instead of being a window, asdescribed above. I

It should be understood, therefore, that the foregoing disclosurerelates only to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it isintended to cover all changes and modifications of the example of theinvention chosen herein for the purpose of the disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A door or window arrangement comprising, in combination:

a. frame means including a frame member, said frame means bounding anopening therethrough;

b. a pump mounted on said frame means;

c. closure means secured to said frame means for movement toward andaway from a position in which said closure means obstructs said opening,said closure means including a closure member contiguously adjacent saidframe member in said position of the closure means;

(1. a manually operable handle secured to said closure means for movingsaid closure means toward and away from said position thereof, saidhandle being movable on said closure means between two positions; i

. a tubular, pliable sealing member interposed between said closuremeans and said frame means in said position of the closure means andcommunicating with said pump;

f. cooperating coupling means on said frame member and on said closuremember engaging each other in said position of said closure means;

g. first motion transmitting means operatively interposed between saidhandle and said coupling means on said closure member;

h. second motion transmitting means operatively interposed between saidcoupling means on said frame member and said pump for operating saidpump when said coupling means are engaged and said handle is movedbetween said two positions thereof; and

i. fluid sealed in said pump and said sealing member, said fluidexpanding said sealing member and thereby locking said closure means tosaid frame means when said handle is moved from one of said twopositions to the other position, and being withdrawn from said sealingmember when said handle .is moved from said other position to said oneposition.

2. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pump is mountedon said frame member, and said handle is mounted on said closure member,said frame member and said closure member being elongated in a commondirection in said position of the closure means.

3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein said motiontransmitting means include two motion transmitting members respectivelymounted on said frame member and on said closure member, and saidcoupling means connect said motion transmitting members for jointmovement, the connected motion transmitting members moving in saidcommon direction when said handle moves between said two positions.

'4. An arrangement as set forth. in claim 3, wherein said closure memberand said'frame member; has respective longitudinal face portionsopposite each other in said position'of'theclosure means, said motiontransmitting members 'being secured to said face portions respectively.

5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprising areceptacle on said frame means, and a locking member movable on saidclosure means. into and out of said receptacle transversely to thedirection of movement of said closure means toward said positionthereof, said first motion transmitting means in-' cluding means formoving said locking member into said receptacle when said sealing memberis being expanded by said fluid.

6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, wherein said coupling meansinclude a coupling member fastened to one of said motion transmittingmembers for joint movement, the other motion transmitting membercarrying receiving means for receiving said coupling member, the faceportion associated with said one motion transmitting member carrying afxed cover memher, said coupling member projecting from said one motiontransmitting member through a slot in said cover member toward the otherface portion.

7. An arrangement as set forth in claim 6, wherein said coupling memberis a roller rotatable on said one motion transmitting member, and saidreceiving means include a fork member having two tine portions, saidroller being received between said tine portions in the engagedcondition of said coupling means.

8. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, the face portion of saidframe member being formed with a recess receiving said pump.

9. An arrangement as set forth in claim 2, further comprising aresilient sealing strip mounted on said closure member, said sealingmember being mounted on said frame member, and a flange member fixedlymounted on said frame member, said sealing strip, said sealing member,and said flange member being elongated in said common direction in saidposition of the closure means, said sealing strip being interposedbetween said sealing member and said flange member and held in pressurecontact with said flange member when said sealing member is expanded bysaid fluid.

10. An arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said handle ismounted on said closure means for rotation about an axis and movesangularly about said axis between said two positions thereof, said fluidbeing a liquid, said closure member moving away from .said

frame member when said closure means moves out of said position thereof.

1. A door or window arrangement comprising, in combination: a. framemeans including a frame member, said frame means bounding an openingtherethrough; b. a pump mounted on said frame means; c. closure meanssecured to said frame means for movement toward and away from a positionin which said closure means obstructs said opening, said closure meansincluding a closure member contiguously adjacent said frame member insaid position of the closure means; d. a manually operable handlesecured to said closure means for moving said closure means toward andaway from said position thereof, said handle being movable on saidclosure means between two positions; e. a tubular, pliable sealingmember interposed between said closure means and said frame means insaid position of the closure means and communicating with said pump; f.cooperating coupling means on said frame member and on said closuremember engaging each other in said position of said closure means; g.first motion traNsmitting means operatively interposed between saidhandle and said coupling means on said closure member; h. second motiontransmitting means operatively interposed between said coupling means onsaid frame member and said pump for operating said pump when saidcoupling means are engaged and said handle is moved between said twopositions thereof; and i. fluid sealed in said pump and said sealingmember, said fluid expanding said sealing member and thereby lockingsaid closure means to said frame means when said handle is moved fromone of said two positions to the other position, and being withdrawnfrom said sealing member when said handle is moved from said otherposition to said one position.
 2. An arrangement as set forth in claim1, wherein said pump is mounted on said frame member, and said handle ismounted on said closure member, said frame member and said closuremember being elongated in a common direction in said position of theclosure means.
 3. An arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidmotion transmitting means include two motion transmitting membersrespectively mounted on said frame member and on said closure member,and said coupling means connect said motion transmitting members forjoint movement, the connected motion transmitting members moving in saidcommon direction when said handle moves between said two positions. 4.An arrangement as set forth in claim 3, wherein said closure member andsaid frame member has respective longitudinal face portions oppositeeach other in said position of the closure means, said motiontransmitting members being secured to said face portions respectively.5. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4, further comprising areceptacle on said frame means, and a locking member movable on saidclosure means into and out of said receptacle transversely to thedirection of movement of said closure means toward said positionthereof, said first motion transmitting means including means for movingsaid locking member into said receptacle when said sealing member isbeing expanded by said fluid.
 6. An arrangement as set forth in claim 4,wherein said coupling means include a coupling member fastened to one ofsaid motion transmitting members for joint movement, the other motiontransmitting member carrying receiving means for receiving said couplingmember, the face portion associated with said one motion transmittingmember carrying a fixed cover member, said coupling member projectingfrom said one motion transmitting member through a slot in said covermember toward the other face portion.
 7. An arrangement as set forth inclaim 6, wherein said coupling member is a roller rotatable on said onemotion transmitting member, and said receiving means include a forkmember having two tine portions, said roller being received between saidtine portions in the engaged condition of said coupling means.
 8. Anarrangement as set forth in claim 4, the face portion of said framemember being formed with a recess receiving said pump.
 9. An arrangementas set forth in claim 2, further comprising a resilient sealing stripmounted on said closure member, said sealing member being mounted onsaid frame member, and a flange member fixedly mounted on said framemember, said sealing strip, said sealing member, and said flange memberbeing elongated in said common direction in said position of the closuremeans, said sealing strip being interposed between said sealing memberand said flange member and held in pressure contact with said flangemember when said sealing member is expanded by said fluid.
 10. Anarrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said handle is mounted onsaid closure means for rotation about an axis and moves angularly aboutsaid axis between said two positions thereof, said fluid being a liquid,said closure member moving away from said frame member when said closuremeans moves out of said position thereof.